7 household items that contain radiation

A simple fact of life on Earth is that radiation is all around us, every day — in our homes. Here are seven ordinary items that contain radiation in far greater amounts than the iodine-131 found in the milk samples:

Granite countertops, like the one I’m sitting at now, in the kitchen. Granite, and many other kinds of rock, contain uranium.

Cat litter. The clay our kitties use for their alone time gives off small amounts of radiation, but large enough to make port detectors designed to find nuclear bombs go bonkers a few years back.

TVs. The X-rays emitting from TV and computer screens have much lower levels of radiation than medical images.

Brazil nuts, which contain radium that the trees absorb from the ground. Many other plants have naturally occurring radiation from metals in the soil.

The house itself. Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, can become trapped inside walls and basements, elevating long-term cancer risks. You can test your home with an inexpensive kit or have a professional do it.

You. Americans take in about 360 millirem (yet another measure of radiation) into their bodies a year, including 2-5 on an average cross-country flight, according to the EPA.